FEMA will be texting you a Presidential Alert tomorrow, October 3rd

Most American cellphone users will receive an alert on Wednesday, October 3. It will feature a header saying, “Presidential Alert.” It is scheduled for 2:18 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

It will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System.”

“This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency.

“If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message.

“A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cellphones nationwide. Some cellphones will receive the message; others will not. No action is needed.”

‘Strange and Uncommon Sound’

Assuming your phone is turned on, you are within range of a cell tower, and your wireless provider is part of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, you should receive it.

Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile are among the 100-plus providers participating in the test.

Phones will make a “strange and uncommon sound” just before displaying the alert message, according to FEMA. The test will last about one minute.

With most cellphones, you can deactivate some alerts. But not this one. FEMA says that users cannot opt out of the presidential alert test.

First Presidential Level Test

The test is part of the system used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to warn the public in cases of national emergencies.

The WEA has existed for six years. But this will be the first time that FEMA has tested the system on the presidential level. (The two other types of emergency alerts have to do with extreme weather and missing children.)

Here’s what a FEMA spokesperson said. “The test will assess the readiness to distribute an emergency message nationwide and determine whether improvements are needed.”

Following that text, an alert will also be broadcast on radio and television in a more conventional manner.

Original Alert Postponed

This alert was originally scheduled for September 19. But it was postponed due to FEMA dealing with Florence, the deadly hurricane that turned into a tropical storm that ravaged the Carolinas.

Among FEMA’s legal requirements are that it conduct a nationwide test of its public alert systems at least once every three years.

And that it ensures the president can alert the public under all conditions in cases of national emergencies. Including natural disasters and terrorist threats.

4Patriots Alert

In a way, FEMA’s emergency alert system is similar to what 4Patriots has been doing for years.

Many of our emails and mailed communications to you warn about the consequences of not being prepared for an uncertain future.

We hope you take them seriously. Many of our customers have dealt with power outages, empty store shelves, contaminated water and air, dead car batteries and more. They’ve told us that our products have been life savers for them.

We’re all going to face some kind of crisis some day. The key is to be prepared as much as possible.

It’s Up to You to be Self-Reliant

FEMA stresses that as citizens, you are an essential part of the national emergency process.

They urge you to think about the system as a pyramid. And state that you, as the citizen, form the base of the pyramid. At this level, FEMA says you have a responsibility to protect yourself and your family.

And they recommend that at the bare minimum, every person have 3 days of non-perishable survival food on hand.
And that’s why we’d like to give you our 72-hour survival food kit for free. All we ask is that you cover the shipping.

We’re trying to ensure that no one who wants this free food misses out, but you have to hurry because we have a limited supply of the 72-hour kits we can give away.

>> Get Your Free 72-Hour Survival Food Kit